Common Sense is a wood composite (cold-molded) L. Francis Herreshoff Araminta ketch built in 1982 at Lee’s Boat Shop in Rockland, ME. The original Araminta was commissioned by the owner of another L.F. Herreshoff cruising ketch Quiet Tune and is the smallest in his series of clipper bow ketch designs made famous by Ticonderoga. Herreshoff’s notes from his book “Sensible Cruising Designs” sum it up nicely. “This design approaches the ultimate for daysailing and short-range cruising. She is beautiful to look at, a very fast sailer, and an all-around delightful boat in which to spend days sailing on the coast of Maine.”
Though Araminta was originally designed by L.F. Herreshoff for traditional plank on frame construction, Common Sense was built cold molded. This method of construction makes for a very solid, lightweight, low maintenance hull. The lack of frames and ceiling planking to cover them results in a very clean, uncluttered modern feeling interior.
At the bottom of the companionway is a simple galley to starboard and nav. station over an ice box to port. The middle section of the interior serves as the salon with settee/berths to port and starboard. Forward of the settees is a partial bulkhead and v-berth. The deck and cabin house top are marine plywood sheathed with Dynel cloth saturated in epoxy. Common Sense’s spars are all built of Sitka spruce and the rigging is all modern. She has less than 10 hrs on her Beta engine and is equipped with nice sails, rigging, deck gear and electronics.
The name comes from the title of L.F Hereshoffs book “Common Sense of Yacht Design” and she embodies his design philosophy perfectly. Common Sense is a simple, versatile boat that’s equally at home on the race course, camp cruising, and day sailing with the family; everything you need an nothing you don’t. She has been maintained since new at Rockport Marine and is offered for sale in excellent sailing and aesthetic condition. Common Sense is currently in storage in Rockport, ME, ready for showings.
Construction:
Hull: Cold Molded Mahogany
Stem: Clipper Bow with Laminated Mahogany Stem
Stern: Transom Stern of Mahogany
Frames: 1 1/8″ x 1 1/2″ Laminated Oak on bottom only
Floor Timbers: 1 1/8″ and 1 1/2″ oak sided
Fasteners: Cold molded with limited fastenings
Deck Beams: 1/8″ x 1 3/4″ Laminated Mahogany & Ash on 11″ Centers
Decks: Plywood with Dynel over
Keel: Full Laminated Keel with Lead Ballast
Superstructure: Low profile trunk cabin of mahogany
Bulkheads: Plywood Partitions
Hardware:
Deck Hardware: Cast Bronze
Steering Gear: Tiller
Ground Tackle: Danforth 1300, Chain Lead – 200′ 1/2 Nylon 3 Strand
Winches: Deck: 2 Barboas 32 STBNZ; Mast: 2 Barient #10BNZ
Electronics:
Radio: Icom IC-M55 VHF
Compass: 12-V Raymarine ST60+Compass
Depth Finder: Raymarine ST60+ Digital Depth
Speed/Distance: Raymarine ST60+ Boat Speed and Wind
Running Lights: 12-V DC
Anchor Light: 12-V DC
Machinery:
New Beta Diesel with single lever control. Approx. 10 hrs.
Pumps/Through Hulls:
Bilge Pumps: 12-V Rule 2000 Auto, Manual Diaphragm
Pumps: Manual Galley FW, 12-V Galley Sink Drain, 12-V Cockpit Sump
Through Hull Fittings: Bronze Seacocks
Tanks:
Fuel: Diesel – 20 Gallon Aluminum
Water: Stainless Steel with Welded Tabs
Mast & Rigging:
Mast: Main and Mizzen laminated Sitka Spruce
Booms: Main and Mizzen solid Sitka Spruce
Standing Rigging: 1 x 19 Stainless Steel wire with spliced ends
Running Rigging: Dacron Braid
Galley:
Stove: 2 Burner gimbaled alcohol
Refrigeration: Top Loading Icebox
Electrical:
Batteries: 2 – 12-V
Lighting: 12-V DC
Wiring: Multi-Stranded PVC Jacketed Copper Wire
Switchboard: 12-V DC Circuit Breaker Panel fed via MVP switch
Circuit Breaker: 12-V DC
